William Bell Riley Architect of Fundamentalism C. Allyn Russell THREE YEARS AGO Minnesota History published a prize-winning article hy Ferenc M. Szasz on ''Wil­ liam B. Riley and the Fight Against Teaching of Evo­ lution in Minnesota." It dealt almost exclusively with a special controversial phase of the stormy career of tlie fundamentalist preacher from Minneapolis. Now the quarterly returns to the Riley theme for a contrast­ ing overview of the man whom more and more schol­ ars are discovering to he one of the great leaders of the fundamentalist movement.—Ed. N A HOT, uncomfortable afternoon in August, O 1947, in Minneapolis, an ailing, eight}^-six-year- old religious warrior summoned an energetic, twenty- eight-year-old evangelist to his bed of illness. The aged man was the retired minister of the First Baptist Church in Minneapofis, the president of three educa­ tional institutions known as Northwestern Schools, and the doughty champion of militant fundamentalism over several decades. The young man, without a theologi­ cal education, was pastor of a church of less than a hundred members, but he was also prominent in youth evangelism as the vice-president of Youth for Christ International. The veteran defender of the faith turned to a dog-eared Bible, his source of authority, and read the account of Samuel anointing David king. While thunder rattled all around and lightning streaked through the premature darkness, WiUiam Bell Riley pointed a bony finger at Billy Graham and said, "Be- Mr. Russell is an associate professor in the Department of Religion at Boston University. Tlie research for this article was made possible by a grant from the graduate school of W. B. RILEY in 1923 at the peak of his career that institution. 14 Minnesota History loved, as Samuel appointed David King of Israel, so lay his mantle on younger shoulders. That failure may I appoint you head of these schools. Ffi meet you at have been a portent of the inability of anyone really the judgment seat of Christ with them."^ to succeed Riley, the independent, strong-willed, fun­ Overawed by the determination of the dying man, damentalist war horse whom William Jennings Bryan and doubtless against his better judgment, Graham once called "the greatest statesman in the American agreed to serve as interim president in the event of pulpit."" Riley's imminent death. (Riley had asked Graham Riley's significance for both Minnesota and the earlier to assume the presidency of Northwestern rest of the nation is being increasingly recognized as Schools — they had first met when Graham appeared scholars gain perspective upon the development of at a Youth for Christ rally in Minneapolis in 1944 — religion in America, especially that phase of it known but Graham had either declined the invitation or had as the modernist-fundamentalist conflict. His labors postponed an answer while awaiting "divine guid­ as preacher, pastor-evangelist, administrator, debater, ance.") When Riley died in December, 1947, Graham author, evangelical educator, civil leader, and social kept his promise, eventually serving as head of the critic led some academicians to hail him as "the ablest schools for three and a half years while simultaneously leader of orthodox reaction during the early part of continuing his commitments to evangelism. But Gra­ the twentieth century," "the ablest executive that fun­ ham realized the dual arrangement was not a good damentalism produced," and the founder of "the only one, and he resigned in June, 1951, to devote full time inclusive fellowship of fundamentalists in America." to his rapidly developing crusades. What has become (The latter referred to the World's Christian Funda­ of Graham since is well known. Less familiar today mentals Association, the organization that retained are the life and thought of Riley, the crafty, stalwart Bryan for the famous Scopes trial in Tennessee in old Baptist clerg)mian who sought unsuccessfully to 1925.) Riley's friends went beyond even these acco­ lades to acclaim him as "the country's foremost and ablest controversiaHst," "the second Martin Luther of ^For accounts of this confrontation, see: John Pollack, Protestantism," and worthy of being compared with Billy Graham: An Authorized Biography, 42-43 (New York, evangelical leader Charles H. Spurgeon, "in the large­ 1966); Stanley High, Billy Graltam: The Personal Story of ness of his work."^ the Man, His Message, and His Mission, 144-145 (New York, 1956); Curtis MitcheH, The Making of a Crusader, Others, however, viewed him in less flattering 232-233 (Philadelphia, 1966); The [Northwestern] Scroll, terms as an irritating, rigid interpreter of Christianitv 1952, p. 18. Pofiack has Riley using the Biblical passage whose overclaims for the Bible contributed to the where the mantle of Elijah drops on Elisha. 'MitcheH, Crusader, 231. religious polarization of American culture. Neverthe­ 'Robert Sheldon McBiiuie, "Basic Issues in the Fun­ less, both friend and foe could agree with the tribute damentalism of W. B. Riley," unpublished doctoral disser­ of Harry A. Ironside, pastor of Moodv Memorial tation. University of Iowa, 'l952, 132 ^"ablest leader" and Church in Chicago, at the time of Riley's death: "We "inclusive fellowship" quotes) (Northwestern College has need to remember that God never repeats Himself. a copy); Stewart G Cole, The History of FundamerUalism, 325 ("ablest executive" quote) (Hamden, Connecticut, He wiH raise up others to cany on, but there wiU never 1963, first published in 1931); Richard V. Clearwaters, be a second man of Dr. Riley's stamp." ^ Riley's dis­ "The Passing of Dr. W. B. Riley," in Watchman-Examiner, ciples lamented this fact; his enemies rejoiced that it 36:10 ("Martin Luther" quote) (January 1, 1948); John R. was true. A review of Riley's life and thought may Rice, "Dr. W. B. Rfiey, EvangeHst," in Northwestern Pilot, assist readers in making their own evaluations of this 28:120 (Spurgeon reference) (January, 1948). gifted, nltraconservative leader. 'Harry A. Ironside, "Dr. W. B. Riley, Defender of the Faith," in Northwestern Pilot, 28:119 (Januaiy, 1948). ' Marie Acomb Riley, The Dynamic of a Dream: The ILLIAM BELL RILEY was born in Green Life Story of Dr. William B. Riley, 20 (Grand Rapids, County, Indiana, March 22, 1861, less than a Michigan, 1938). This biography by Riley's second wife W month before the outbreak of the Civil War. Shortly is basically adulatory. Furthermore, Riley himself wrote the preface and first chapter and probably revised other after hostilities began, his father, Branson Radish Ri­ portions. ley, a Democrat of Scotch-Irish descent and a propo­ Only a few works of an academic nature have bsen nent of slavery, moved his family to Kentucky where written on Rfiey's life. These include three unpublished he felt there would be greater sympathy for his politi­ doctoral dissertations: McBirnie's (footnote 3); Lloyd B. cal position. (The ancestors of Riley's mother, Ruth Hull, "A Rhetorical Study of the Preaching of Wfifiam Bell Anna Jackson, were English and Dutch Quakers of Riley," Wayne State University, I960; and Ferenc M. Szasz, "Three Fundamentalist Leaders: The Roles of Wifiiam Befi some prominence in the early history of Pennsylvania. )^ Riley, John Roach Straton, and Wifiiam Jennings Bryan in The young Riley spent his first eighteen years in the FundamentaHst-Modernist Controversy," University of Kentucky. To earn money for his education, he raised Spring 1972 15 tobacco on a farm rented from his father and also se­ countless articles and published his own religious cured a loan from a friend. After attending Valparaiso magazines under such titles as the Baptist Beacon, (Indiana) Normal School for a year, he transferred Christian Fundamentals in School and Church, to Hanover Cofiege in Indiana, Presbyterian in origin the Christian Fundamentalist, and the Northwestern and one of the oldest educational institutions west of Pilot. Near the end of his life, as president of the Minne­ the Ohio River. He received his A.B. degree at Han­ sota Baptist Convention, Riley led that body in a vir­ over in 1885, ranking fourth in his class and, signifi­ tual break from the parent denomination. In his last cantly, first in debate. Converted to Christianity with year, he was still fighting as he endeavored to sever all little outward show of emotion at the age of seven­ personal association with the Northern Baptist Conven­ teen, Riley originally planned a legal career. But a tion, the denominational body to which his church be­ persistent call to the ministry hounded him until one longed and in which he had been such a contentious day, on his knees in the black loam between two rows figure. of ripening tobacco, he "surrendered" and thereafter Riley died at his Golden Valley home in suburban devoted his life to religious service. In 1888 Riley Minneapolis December 5, 1947, bequeathing a heritage was graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Sem­ that probably made him the most important funda­ inary in LouisviUe, Kentucky, although he had been mentalist clergyman of his generation. This claim is ordained while in college. In fact, he had preached supported not only by his theological position but also his own ordination sermon, thereby demonstrating a by his role as pastor-evangelist, social critic, and ec­ self-assertiveness that characterized him throughout clesiastical politician. his long and stormy life.^ Several brief pastorates in Kentucky, Indiana, and ILEY'S COMMITMENT to orthodoxy emerged Illinois followed. (During one of them Riley married early in life. The pietistic faith of his parents, the Lillian Howard, a Methodist graduate of Purdue Uni­ revivalistiR c tradition of Kentucky, the religious atmos­ versity. Six weeks after the wedding, he baptized his phere of the schools he attended (he claimed, for in­ young bride into the ranks of the Baptists.